


it’s brighter now

by lizook12



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic, Jim "Chief" Hopper Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-05 08:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20485718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizook12/pseuds/lizook12
Summary: They’d needed some time for just the two of them and, with the kids out of town visiting Jonathan, it was the perfect night for it.





	it’s brighter now

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again to **Alanna1231** for helping me with a spot check after I'd read the same five sentence for the 600th time. 
> 
> Title found in Taylor Swift's _Daylight_

“So, surprised?” His hand brushes over hers as he settles on the hood of the car, his legs stretching out over the blanket he’s just finished fixing. 

“Not even a little.” She presses her lips together, fighting back a smile at the way his jaw sets in annoyance, shoulders lift and then release in defeat. “I’m kidd—“

“Joyce!”

Now she does smile, her eyes rolling as she lays back, her head coming to rest against the windshield. 

He glares down at her for a long moment before following suit, pressing them together from shoulder to hip, the dark sky stretching above.

The stars are just really starting to flicker into view and she inhales the crisp September air, watches as it puffs out before her when she releases it into the night. 

She was surprised. Happily. 

They’d needed—wanted—some time for just the two of them and, with the kids out of town visiting Jonathan, it was the perfect night for it. 

Of course, he’d refused to tell her anything for the week leading up to it and so she’d been reduced to throwing out guesses—movies? that new bowling alley in Clayton? laser tag?—which always ended with him saying he’d put the idea on file for next time. 

Her best guess had been another attempt at Enzo’s, but they’d sped right on by. 

Thank god. 

That was the past.

Had been for years. 

And yeah, they’d attempted it once he’d come back and the dust had settled and they’d realized they were… well, _them_… 

They had barely been seated when he’d started scanning for exits though, his leg shaking the table. She still wasn’t sure if it was from memories or stress, but they’d left and settled on her porch, talking until four am. 

So yeah, they could find someplace else for those rare nights they wanted to have dinner out. 

Tremont Park could be it. 

She was sure when he’d pulled into the parking lot that he’d planned on setting up at the picnic tables, but he’d leaned against the hood a few minutes before rooting around behind her seat and pulling out the blanket and a cooler. 

“Well, El…” His jaw clenches again, fingers drumming on the hood of the car below them. “Insisted on making us sandwiches before they left. Said she didn’t trust my flavor combinations.” 

“Can you really blame her after the bratwurst waffle debacle?”

“Those were breakfast sandwiches!” 

The low moonlight dances across his face, catches the indignation in his eyes and she can’t help but laugh. “Jim, you put sauerkraut on them.”  


“It cleared up your sinuses, didn’t it? 

“If nothing else.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in response and he lays back down. 

Silence stretches out, their breathing syncing as the night darkens and more and more stars blink into view.

“You see that one?” His arm lifts, pointing towards the horizon. “That’s Enif.” 

“Enif?” 

“Part of Pegasus, there’s also Scheat and Markab and…”  


Hopper knows stars. 

And not just in a “I stole Will’s star guide book to cram for tonight” type of way. 

It seems… right… 

Just slots into all the other details she knows about him. 

(Like how he first stole cigarettes to earn his father’s attention. 

And that he’s good with other languages, can pick them up pretty quickly thanks to the war and time spent in various New York neighborhoods. 

That he actually loves to dance with her when the kids are asleep and they’re both too awake from their night shifts to even consider passing out themselves.) 

“The only ones I ever remember…” She squints at where he’s pointing, tries to make it into anything more than a bunch of lights scattered near each other. “Are the Big and Little Dipper.”  


“Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.” 

“I always imagined them pouring the rest of the stars out into the sky.”  


“Not the craziest theory I’ve heard.” Nudging her shoulder, he turns carefully on his hip. “Cassiopeia and Draco were just spilled out there, Etamin and Altais and Sinclaris—“ 

“You made that one up!” 

“Maybe.” He grins, loving that she called him on it.

That she always does. 

That she teases and challenges and supports all when he needs. 

Closing what little distance remains between them, he cups her cheek, presses his mouth to hers. She sighs beneath him, fingers drifting across his back, twisting in the hem of his shirt. 

Tugging him even closer, she deepens the kiss, tongue stroking against his. 

He groans, thumb tracing her jaw, before forcing himself to pull away as she shivers against him. 

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, he yanks the corner of the blanket up around them. Presses a kiss to her forehead. “It’s getting late, we should probably head home.” 

“No…” She tightens the blanket around them, looks up to the sky again.  Quickly she finds the Big Dipper, follows it to the Little Dipper and the star sparkling at the end of its handle. 

_Polaris._

Turning back to him, she lets her gaze sweep over his profile and she smiles, head coming to rest on his chest. “Let’s stay just a little while longer.” 


End file.
